Permanent or mobile splash-guard

ABSTRACT

A splash-guard is disclosed which may be either permanent or mobile, which contains storage means and hanging means, and which may be effectively used on any corner of a bathtub.

United States Patent 1 Baumrind 1 June 12, 1973 221 Filed:

[ PERMANENT 0R MOBILE SPLASH-GUARD [75] Inventor: Stephen J. Baumrind,Charleston,

[73] Assignee: Larry Harold Kline,Cha rleston,S.C.'

apart interest Dec, 30, '1971 [21] Appl. No.: 214,186

52 -u.s. Cl.., 4/148, 4 145, 4/149 [51] Int. Cl A4711 3/22 [58] Field0.1Search....,.4/145l,49, l5l'155, l, 185

[56] 9 References Cited 7 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,032,180 2/1936 MCCOld4/148 UX 1,996,414 4/1935 Grantt 4/1 11X 1,392,580 10/1921 Landau....4/148 3,050,742 8/1962 Munson 4/154 3,104,014 9/1963 Piette 4/154 X3,386,106 6/1968 Clemens 4/154 1,807,107 5/1931 Sternbergh 4/145 PrimaryExamin'er--Henry K. Artis Attorney-Larry Harold Kline [57] ABSTRACT Asplash -guard is disclosed which may be either perma nent or mobile,which contains storage means and hanging means, and which may beeffectively used-0n any corner of a bathtub.

22 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENIE JUN 1 2 191a SHEET 1 [1F 2 FIG. 2

FIG. I

PATENTEDJIW 2 I973 SHEET 2 OF 2 r IIIIII'JJIII';

IIIIIIIlIlIIIIIIdIIIIQ This invention relates to a shower-bathconstruction and, more particularly to a splash-guard, which can beeither permanently or temporarily attached and which containscompartments and which is adaptable for use on any side of the bathtub.

In a bathroom where both a bathtub and a shower attachment are present,a curtain or a bathtub door arrangement is usually provided above thetub to prevent water discharge from the overhead shower nozzle onto thefloor of a room. The lower end of the curtain, if used, extends downwardinto the tub in order to prevent watertrom dripping from the curtainonto the floor. No provision had been made to prevent water fromstriking the walls and splashing past side edges of the curtain onto thefloor until Sternbergh in his Pat.

No. 1,807,107, patented May 26, 1931, came up with a combinationsplash-guard and tile for forming the same. The splash-guard shouldeffectively prevent water from splashing past the side edges of thecurtain.

Sternberghs splash-guard is of a permanent type, being made of tile, andalso served as a hand-hold for help, in stepping in and out of the tub.Sternbergh in no way teaches a portable splash-guard; storage meanscombined with a splash-guard; a removable, reversible splash-guard;hooks or clothes lines combined with a splash-guard; or-a dual purposecompartments and I hangers. These features are all contained in thepresent application.

An object of the present invention is to provide a splash-guard whichcan perform the dual capability of being either permanently ortemporarily attached to the wall of a room containing a shower-batharrangement.

7 Another object of this invention is to provide a device including asplash-guard which also comprises a multiplicity of compartments forstorage purposes.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a storage areaaccessible from the bathtub, which can provide both wet and dry storage.

Another object of this invention is to provide a portable splash-guardwhich can be used on any side of the bathtub.

Another object of this invention is to provide hanging means combinedwith a splash-guard.

Another object of this invention is to provide compartments for storagethat will allow any water which will land in said compartments to flowinto the bathtub.

Another object of this invention is to provide a special compartment forholding tubes such as shampoo tubes.

These and other objects and features of the invention will be apparentfrom the following description and appended claims.

Briefly, the invention is a device for use with a shower batharrangement, which contains a bathtub and shower attachment. Asplash-guard is provided to help prevent water from said showerattachment from escaping from said bathtub. Said splash-guard has thedual capability of being either permanently or tempo-v rarily attachedto the wall of the room containing the shower-bath arrangement. Amultiplicity of compartments for storage purposes may be containedwithin the device. The compartments for storage purposes includecompartments for either wet or dry storage and also include specialcompartments for holding shampoo. The device also may be used on anycorner of the bathtub.

The invention will be more fully understood from the following detaileddescription and appended claims when taking with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a trisometric view of the device as it would be placed againstthe wall, seen between the bath side and wall side.

FIG. 2 is a view of the same device as in FIG. I, the device having beenturned over and viewed from the room outside the bathtub.

FIG. 3 is a view of the compartment for storage purposes as viewed fromthe bath side of the device.

FIG. 4 is a top view of a compartment for storage purposes, taken atpoints D-D'.

I FIG. 5 is a side view of the compartment for storage purposes taken atpoints A-A of FIG. 3.

- FIG. 6 is a view from the bath side of the device of the tube holdingmeans.

FIG. 7 is a top view taken of the tube holding means at the points B-B'of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a side view of the tube holding means taken at the points C-C'of FIG. 6.

Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a water blocking device 1.This water blocking device I has many purposes. Device 1 contains a wallside 2, a bath side 3, a blocking edge 4, upper and lower edges 6 and 7,and top and bottom'sides 5 and 11.

Voids 23 and 24 on wall side 2 provide a method for attaching device 1to the wall. A screwhead or nailhead may be used to be placed into thewall. The larger area of voids 23 and 24 will fit over this screwhead ornailhead, which will theri be lowered down to the smallercircumferenceof voids 23 and 24, thereby providing support for waterblocking device 1 onto the wall. The method for attaching device 1 tothe wall may also be made temporary. One method for making it temporarywould be attaching a two-sided adhesive tape, with one side on wall side2 and the other side pressed firmly against the wall, thereby supportingwater blocking de- Vice 1. Water blocking device 1 is placed against thewall and may be used along with a curtain or a bathtub door arrangementto prevent water discharge from an overhead shower nozzle onto the floorof a room. Water blocking device 1 prevents the water from escaping pastthe ends of the curtain and also from the ends of a bath tub doorarrangement.

Due to the capability of being able to permanently attach the waterblocking device 1 to the wall by means herein described, or by attachingwater blocking device 1 to the wall by adhesive removable means, thisinvention provides a splash-guard which performs the dual capability ofbeing either permanently or temporarily attached to the room containinga shower bath arrangement.

FIG. 1 also shows compartment for storage purposes 8, holding means fortubes 9, and another compartment for storage purposes 10, The top side 5of the device is also shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 2 shows the water blocking device I, of FIG. 1 turned over andviewed from the room outside the bathtub. Turned over means that thedevice 1 is turned whereas top 5 would then become the bottom side ofwater blocking device 1. Bottom side 11 would then become the new topside. I

The lower curved edge 7 in FIG. 1 slopes down, allowing any water fromthe shower attachment which lands on water blocking device 1 to bedeposited in the bathtub. The upper curved edge 6 is sloped in a mannerthat when the water blocking device 1 is turned over i.e., rotated 180,the upper edge 6 then becomes the new bottom edge and is slopeddownward, and allows any water from the shower attachment which mightfall on the water blocking device 1 to flow into the bathtub.

The design of. water blocking device 1 is such that when it is turnedover the wall side 2 will still be pressed against the wall, but thebottom side 1 1 and the top side will be reversed. The beauty of thisdesign is that only one water blocking device 1 need be manufactured,

and it will be effective for use on any outside corner of the bathtub toprevent water from reaching the outside floor. This device can also beused from the inner corners of the bathtub if only the storage aspects,which will be discussed herein, are desired.

Compartments 8 and 10 have been designed so that they will be equallyeffective for storage purposes, if the device is rotated. 180.

FIG. 3, FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 all show compartment 8 for storage purposes ingreater detail. FIG. 3 showing the compartment from the bath side view.FIG. 4 from the top view, FIG. 5 from a sectional view taken at pointsA-A of FIG. 3. FIG. 3 shows bottom flanges 14 and top flanges 15. Amultiplicity of flanges l4 and may be used, the actual number dependingon the desire of the designer.

Compartment 8 for storage purposes comprises a top layer 19, slopedupward from the back to the front of the compartment, so that when thedevice is turned l80 the top layer 19 becomes the new bottom layer.Water which lands on device 1 will flow to the new bottom layer and intothe bathtub.

Compartment 8 has a bottom layer sloped downward from the back'to thefront of thecompartment,

thereby allowing any water from the shower attach-- slope of the newbottom layer 19. Bottom flanges 14 can also be used as hooks for hangingobjects. Top' flanges 15 when the device 1 is rotated 180", also may inthe same manner be used for hooks for hanging objects. When two of thedevices 1 are used on opposite ends of a bathtub, a connecting meanssuch as wire or string, or 'anyother type of connecting means may beconnected to one or more hooks or flanges l4 and 15 on one device 1 andconnected to one or more books or flanges 14 or 15 on the other devicle1 so that articles may be placed thereon. This may act as a clothesline.This is another advantage and feature of this invention.

The compartments therefore have a dual purpose, and serve not only tostore goods, but to hang objects thereon and hang connecting meansthereon to form a clothesline.

FIG. 6, FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 show a compartment 9 for holding tubes. Thiscompartment 9 allows access for squeezing the tubes and access forreceiving the contents of the tubes when squeezed. The compartment 9 forholding tube comprises a bottom molded support 16 and a top moldedsupport 17. Bottom molded sup port 16 has an opening 18. Top moldedsupport 17 has an opening 23.

A tube may be placed in bottom molded support 16. The nozzle of the tuberestsin opening 18. The bather who wishes to shampoo simply unscrews thecap of the tube and places it in Support 16. He then has access to theshampoo and will know at all times where the shampoo tube is located. Hewill be able to get as much shampoo as required. A cap attachment couldbe added to the tube holder which would simply be placed onto the end ofthe tube when it is being held in the holding means 9. However, in mostcases shampoo will not run out of a tube without squeezing. The batherplaces his hand below the bottom molded support 16 and presses thesection of the tube above the bottom support 16. The shampoo will beforced through the nozzle and into the hand of the bather.

Compartment 9 is a holding means for tubes and has a sloped bottom layer22. Any water landing within compartment 9, will flow to bottom layer 22which is sloped, and will therefore flow into the bathtub. When waterblocking device 1 is rotated l80, the tube will be placed in uppermolded support 17 which will be the new lower molded support, the nozzleof the tube will then be in opening 23. The bather will then procure hisshampoo in the same manner previously described. Top layer 2.1 of thetube holder will then become the new bottom layer. It also is sloped sothat any water that lands within the holding tubes 9 will flow into thebathtub.

Outer storage compartments 12 and 13 may be used to keep articles storedand also dry. Since compartments 12 and 13 are on the outside of thebathtub, they will not be sprayed by water from the shower attachment.

The water blocking device 1 serves as water blocking means. Compartments8 and 10 serve as storage means which may be wet due to the spray fromthe shower attachment. Compartments l2 and 13 serve as means for drystorage. These compartments 8, l0, l2 and 13 fulfill an object of theinvention which was to provide both wet and dry storage.

The water blocking device 1 can be made out of a molded plastic,stainless steel, or any other type of material which might be available.Molded plastic is recommended as inexpensive to produce this device.Molded plastic also will make device 1 easily portable and easilycleanable. A clear molded plastic also has the advantage in thatmaterials stored in outer compartments l2 and 13 would be visible to thebather. One suggested use of compartments l2 and 13 would be storage ofa clock, by which a bather could know the exact time from within thebathtub.

Water blocking device 1 enables anything you need in the bathtub area tobe easily available to you. Items are stored between the tub and therest of the bathvice 1. Device 1 can also be supported by screwheads ornailheads inbedded in voids 23 and 24 as previously discussed. Device 1acts as a splash-guard to prevent water from reaching the floor of thebathroom, between either a curtain or shower door and the wall. Device 1offers utility space for storing such items as soap, bubble bath, bathsalts, shampoo, shampoo massagers, razors, shaving soap and shavingmugs.

Toys for children may be stored in the compartments. A clock may be keptin the dry compartments to keep the bather aware of the time. Thisdevice offers hooks for wash cloths, wash brushes and shower caps, orwhatever else may be desired to be hung by the bather. A mirror forshaving may also be hung. By connecting the hooks on one device to hookson another device, a clothes line or other hanging means can beassembled for drying or any other purpose desired. Device l is alsoextremely inexpensive and can fit inside of a shower curtain or any kindof shower door. Device 1 can be made to any height convenient to themaximum height of the room involved. The compartments may be made to anyspecifications within the physical limits of the device. Other types ofspecialized compartments could be added to the device. Other-methodssuch as hooks and permanent glue could be used to attach the device tothe wall.

While the invention has been described with reference to specificembodiments, the description is illustrative and is not to be construedas limiting the scope of the invention. Various modifications andchanges may occur to those skilled in the art without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A splash-guard for use in a room containing a shower batharrangement, that includes a bathtub and a shower attachment, comprisingwater blocking means, resting on a corner of said bathtub, and against awall of said room adjacent to said bathtub for prevention of water flowfrom said shower attachment onto the floor of said room, said waterblocking means comprising an oblong structure having a plurality ofspaced apart side walls, at least one of said side walls beingvertically inclined with respect to the upper portion of said bathtub toaid in preventing said water flow from said shower attachment onto thefloor of said room, said splash guard further comprising a plurality ofarticle storage means within the confines of said plurality of spacedside walls.

2. A splash guard according to claim 1 in which said 1 splash guard iscapable of being permanent or mobile in its attachment to the wall.

3. A splash guard according to claim 2 in which said plurality ofstorage means includes means for either wet or dry storage.

4. A splash guard according to claim 3 in which said splash guard may beused on any corner of said bathtub.

5. A splash guard according to claim 4 further comprising a plurality ofstorage means facing in varying directions.

6. A splash guard according to claim 1 in which said plurality ofstorage means includes means for either wet or dry storage.

6 7. A splash guard according to claim 2 in which said plurality ofstorage means comprises compartments for storage purposes, each saidcompartment comprising a bottom layer sloped downward from the back tothe front of said compartments, thereby allowing any water from saidshower attachment which might enter said compartment to leave saidcompartment and to flow down said bottom layer into said bathtub.

8. A splash guard according to claim 7 in which said compartments forstorage purposes further comprises one or more flanges rising from saidfront of said compartments thereby preventing any objects stored in saidcompartments from escaping due to the slope of said sloped bottom layer.

9. A splash guard according to claim 8 in which said one or more flangesmay also be used as hooks for the purpose of hanging objects.

10. A splash guard according to claim 3 in which each of saidcompartments for storage purposes comprises a top layer sloped upwardfrom the back to the front of said compartment whereby when said splashguard is turned relative to said bathtub said top layer becomes the newbottom layer and the water which lands on said splash guard will flow tosaid new bottom layer and into said bathtub, thereby allowing saidsplash guard to be used on any corner of said bathtub.

11. A splash guard according to claim 2 in which one or more of saidplurality of storage means is a compartment for holding tubes.

12. A splash guard according to claim 1 in which the bottom edge of saidsplash guard slopes outward, thereby allowing any water from said showerattachment which lands on said splash guard to be deposited in saidbathtub.

13. A splash guard according to claim 12 in which the top edge of saidsplash guard slopes outward whereby when said splash guard is turned 180relative to said bathtub and said top edge becomes the new bottom edge,any water which lands on said device will flow to said new bottom edgeand into said bathtub, thereby allowing said splash guard to beeffective on any corner of the bathtub.

14. A splash guard according to claim 1 further comprising a pluralityof hanging means.

15. A splash guard according to claim 2 further com prising a pluralityof hanging means.

16. A splash guard according to claim 1 in which said water blockingmeans comprises:

a. a blocking edge on the outer side wall of said splash guard toprevent water discharge past the side of said splash guard and onto thefloor of said room;

b. an upper edge on the upper side wall of said splash guard to helpprevent water from going over said splash guard into said room and foruse as a lower edge when said splash guard is rotated 180 relative tosaid bathtub;

c. a lower edge on the lower side wall of said splash guardallowing'water that may land on said splash guard to be deposited insaid bathtub and for use as an upper edge when said splash guard isrotated 180 relative to said bathtub.

17. A splash guard according to claim 16 in which said upper edge andsaid lower edge are curved edges.

18. A splash guard according to claim 1 wherein each of said pluralityof storage means comprises:

a. a bottom layer sloped downward from the back to the front of each ofsaid plurality of storage means comprising a-plurality of bottom flangesemanating 7 8 thereby allowing any water which might land a. a blockingedge on the outer side wall of said therein to flow into the bathtub;splash guard to prevent water discharge past the a p layer op upwardfrom the back to the side of said splash guard and onto the floor'ofsaid front of each of said plurality of storage means for room; use as abottom layer when Said Splash guard is b. a blocking edge on the upperside wall of said tated relative to Said bathtub splash guard to helpprevent water from going over I A splash guard according to claim 18further said splash guard into said room and for use as a lower edgewhen said splash guard is rotated 180 relative to said bathtub;

c. a lower edge on the lower side wall of said splash guard allowingwater that may land on said splash from said bottom layer and preventingobjects stored within said each of said. plurality of storage means fromescaping'due to the slope of said bottom layer.

20. A splash guard according to claim 19 further comprising plurality oftop flanges emanating from guard to be deposited in said bathtub and foruse said top layer for use as a plurality of bottom flanges as an upperedge i 531d Splash guard rotated when said splash guard is rotated 180relative to said relative to Said bathtubbathtub. 22. A splash guardaccording to claim 21 in which 21. A splash guard according to claim 2in which said said upper edge and said lower edge are curved edges.water blocking means comprises:

1. A splash-guard for use in a room containing a shower bath arrangement, that includes a bathtub and a shower attachment, coMprising water blocking means, resting on a corner of said bathtub, and against a wall of said room adjacent to said bathtub for prevention of water flow from said shower attachment onto the floor of said room, said water blocking means comprising an oblong structure having a plurality of spaced apart side walls, at least one of said side walls being vertically inclined with respect to the upper portion of said bathtub to aid in preventing said water flow from said shower attachment onto the floor of said room, said splash guard further comprising a plurality of article storage means within the confines of said plurality of spaced side walls.
 2. A splash guard according to claim 1 in which said splash guard is capable of being permanent or mobile in its attachment to the wall.
 3. A splash guard according to claim 2 in which said plurality of storage means includes means for either wet or dry storage.
 4. A splash guard according to claim 3 in which said splash guard may be used on any corner of said bathtub.
 5. A splash guard according to claim 4 further comprising a plurality of storage means facing in varying directions.
 6. A splash guard according to claim 1 in which said plurality of storage means includes means for either wet or dry storage.
 7. A splash guard according to claim 2 in which said plurality of storage means comprises compartments for storage purposes, each said compartment comprising a bottom layer sloped downward from the back to the front of said compartments, thereby allowing any water from said shower attachment which might enter said compartment to leave said compartment and to flow down said bottom layer into said bathtub.
 8. A splash guard according to claim 7 in which said compartments for storage purposes further comprises one or more flanges rising from said front of said compartments thereby preventing any objects stored in said compartments from escaping due to the slope of said sloped bottom layer.
 9. A splash guard according to claim 8 in which said one or more flanges may also be used as hooks for the purpose of hanging objects.
 10. A splash guard according to claim 3 in which each of said compartments for storage purposes comprises a top layer sloped upward from the back to the front of said compartment whereby when said splash guard is turned 180* relative to said bathtub said top layer becomes the new bottom layer and the water which lands on said splash guard will flow to said new bottom layer and into said bathtub, thereby allowing said splash guard to be used on any corner of said bathtub.
 11. A splash guard according to claim 2 in which one or more of said plurality of storage means is a compartment for holding tubes.
 12. A splash guard according to claim 1 in which the bottom edge of said splash guard slopes outward, thereby allowing any water from said shower attachment which lands on said splash guard to be deposited in said bathtub.
 13. A splash guard according to claim 12 in which the top edge of said splash guard slopes outward whereby when said splash guard is turned 180* relative to said bathtub and said top edge becomes the new bottom edge, any water which lands on said device will flow to said new bottom edge and into said bathtub, thereby allowing said splash guard to be effective on any corner of the bathtub.
 14. A splash guard according to claim 1 further comprising a plurality of hanging means.
 15. A splash guard according to claim 2 further comprising a plurality of hanging means.
 16. A splash guard according to claim 1 in which said water blocking means comprises: a. a blocking edge on the outer side wall of said splash guard to prevent water discharge past the side of said splash guard and onto the floor of said room; b. an upper edge on the upper side wall of said splash guard to help prevent water from going over said splash guard into said room and for use as a lower edge when said splash guard is rotated 180* relative to said batHtub; c. a lower edge on the lower side wall of said splash guard allowing water that may land on said splash guard to be deposited in said bathtub and for use as an upper edge when said splash guard is rotated 180* relative to said bathtub.
 17. A splash guard according to claim 16 in which said upper edge and said lower edge are curved edges.
 18. A splash guard according to claim 1 wherein each of said plurality of storage means comprises: a. a bottom layer sloped downward from the back to the front of each of said plurality of storage means thereby allowing any water which might land therein to flow into the bathtub; b. a top layer sloped upward from the back to the front of each of said plurality of storage means for use as a bottom layer when said splash guard is rotated 180* relative to said bathtub.
 19. A splash guard according to claim 18 further comprising a plurality of bottom flanges emanating from said bottom layer and preventing objects stored within said each of said plurality of storage means from escaping due to the slope of said bottom layer.
 20. A splash guard according to claim 19 further comprising a plurality of top flanges emanating from said top layer for use as a plurality of bottom flanges when said splash guard is rotated 180* relative to said bathtub.
 21. A splash guard according to claim 2 in which said water blocking means comprises: a. a blocking edge on the outer side wall of said splash guard to prevent water discharge past the side of said splash guard and onto the floor of said room; b. a blocking edge on the upper side wall of said splash guard to help prevent water from going over said splash guard into said room and for use as a lower edge when said splash guard is rotated 180* relative to said bathtub; c. a lower edge on the lower side wall of said splash guard allowing water that may land on said splash guard to be deposited in said bathtub and for use as an upper edge when said splash guard is rotated 180* relative to said bathtub.
 22. A splash guard according to claim 21 in which said upper edge and said lower edge are curved edges. 